Machine for sealing and stamping envelops.



F. 0. MADSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVBLOPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907. I

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

g 3 m- I g g WITNESSES INVENTOH FEEEEEIEK Qmzfiu, B)

BM Q. (not mm P. 0. MADSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND. STAMPING BNVELOPS.

APPLICATI N FILED JUNE 20, 1907. 948,179. Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 2. I

ATTORNEY.

F. 0. MADSEN. MAGHINI] FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907. I

' Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

WITNESSES INVENTOB 5321255152: QMAEEEE,

M 1 ATTORNEY.

' I. 0. MADSEN. MACHINE FOB. SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

mi fi m of mm. NE NE \i w mm 3: nu x m? i? 3. QT QT w: b -i-lini L KO LI wMm Y I WITNESSES v 6M Q m ATTORNEY.

F. 0. MADSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907.

Patented Feb.1, 1910.

11 SHEETSSHEET 5.

" lll lltllm WITNESSES fnensarcx E3. Mzmsm,

B) W m .4 TTORNE Y,

F. 0. MADSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

LINE

EI; Q Z4! INVENTOR M.Q Q g 2| ATTORNEY.

1 0. MADSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

Patented Feb. 1,1910.

11 SHEETS-BHEET 7.''

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907.

. I IN VE N T0 Fnauzmcx 5, 11535511,

WITNESSES Wham A TTOR/VE Y.

F. 0. MADSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENvELoPs.

. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907. 94. 1 79 Patented Feb. 1, 1910. 11SHEETS-SHEET 8.

z E. WITNESSES INVENTOH Fagnzslszi Elrmanszn,

@MR M M MM ATTORNEY.

F. O. MADSEN.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.-

AIfPLIOATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907.

948,179. Patentd Feb. 1,1910.

11 SHBETB-SHEET 9.

WITNESSES J NVENTOH Fa :nzsncg nmguszn,

ATTORNEY.

P. 0. MADSEN.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907. 948, 1 7%.

Patented Feb 1,1910.

1 1 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

INVENTOI? F. O. MADSEN.

MACHINE FOB SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1907.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

11 SHEETSSHEET 11.

WITNESSES 4 E, INVENTO/i? Fasflzgmi EgMAnsEu,

,. 5M 6%. (M v ars nr canon FREDERICK 0. MADSEN, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS.

Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

Application filed June 20, 1907. Serial in). 379,944.

sealing and stamping envelops;- to enable the envelops to be simplystacked in'the feeding hopper, from which they pass automatically intothe machine, without holding them by the hand; to thus provide a machinewhich can be operated by simply turning a shaft; to provide a machinewhich employs sheets of stamps as distinguished from strips; to enablethe machine to be used for either sealing or stamping alone; to enablethe envelop to be operated upon in horizontally fiatwise position and topositively open the flap by having that edge of the envelop left free;to secure an improved systemjof trips for the machine each of whichshall be adapted to operate both the feeding mechanism and the stampingmechanism in succession; to enable the individual stamps of a sheet tobe brought successively to the same point for feeding onto an envelop;to provide improved moistening means, and to obtain other advantages andresults as may be brought out in the following description.

Re'ferringto the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures,Figure 1 is a plan view of a sealing and stamping machine embodying myinvention, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of a portion of the envelop hopper and envelop releasinglever, in enlarged detail, and Fig. 4.- is a plan of the same; Fig. 5 isa. rear end view of a certain flap-opening shoe detached, and Fig. 6

is a view of the same from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 2; Fig.7 is a rear end view ofa certain fiap-closin shoedeta-ched,

and Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the same as seen in Fig. 2; Fig. 9 isfront end elevation of the machine; Fig. '10 is a rear elevation of thefiap-moistening device, the bed plate of the machine being in section online A, Fig. 2; Fig. 11 is an end view of an associated hollow roller,reservoir and fiapmoistening roller; Fig. 12 is a central longi-'tudinal vertical section of a cylinder and associated parts for holdingand feeding a sheet of stamps, talefi'on line B Fig. 1 and line C Fig.2; Fig. 13 is a sectional detail of the stamp cylinder as it is shown inFig. 12,

but detached from the associated parts; Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate theright and, left hand ends of said'cylinder, respectively, as it isviewed in Fig. 13 or from the front of the machine, the end plate 121 ofthe cylinder being removed in Fig. 15;Fig. 16 is an inner side elevationof a certain trip and trip-box carried by the belt, and Fig. 17 is anedge view of the same, showing a certain shaft end passing idly throughsaid trip-box; Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are sections of the tripbox taken online D, Fig. 17, the last two showing the said shaft end and a certainhopper lever tripped,respectively; Figs. 21

and 22 areplan and edge v1ews, respectively, of a traveling ring andslide for the cylinder,

and Fig. 23 is a diametric section of the same on line E Fig. 21; Figs.24: and 25 are side and edge views, respectively, of a stamp holdingband for the cylinder; Fig. 26 shows a bar for the end-ring slide shownin Figs.

21, 22 and 23; Fig. 27 is an end view of tlie stamp platen and feedingand moistening means, illustrating certain segmental clips and theiradjusting means, and bein partly in cross section on line F Fig. 9; Fig.28 is a portion of the said-platen and clips in rear elevation; Fig. 29is an end elevation of the stamp cylinder, the adjacent parts being insection on line Gr Fig. 9; Fig. 30 is a side view of a certain cam,shown in Fig. 29; Fig. 31 shows in detail the bifurcated end of acertain releasing lever for the end-ring on the cylinder; Fig. 32illustrates a cylinder detentdevice; Fig. 33 is a view endwise of thecylinder taken on line H Fig. 9, showing certain cam means for turningthe cylinder; Figs. 34 and 35 show in plan and end View, respectively,and diagrammatically, the arrangement of shafts at the front end of themachine; Fig. 36 is a frontend view ofthe envelop hopper detached; Figs.37 and 3S illustrate certain mechanism to control-the flow of water tothe stamp moisteningmeans the first showing the reservoir in sideelevation and thesecond being a front view of it;

is an elevation of the stamp moistening trough from the opposite sidefrom which it is shown in Fig. 27, and Figs. 40 and e. are detail viewsof the strap which supports one end of the trough and its moisteningroller; Fig. t2 shows a knife removed from its position on the troughwhere it severs the long edge of each stamp from the strip as it isapplied, and Fig. 43 shows a circular knife on the upper one of apair ofrollers for feeding the strip of stamps adjacent to the moisteningtrough, and which cuts said strip from thesheet.

In said drawings, 1 indicates a base or .bed plate upon which thedifferent parts of my improved machine are mounted. At one side of thisbase plate is a horizontally and longitudinally disposed belt 2, whichruns over drums 3, 4, at opposite ends of the plate, the drum at therearward end being mounted upon a shaft- 5 having its hearings in posts6, and the drum 4 at the front end of the-machine being mounted upon ashaft 7 turning in standards 8, 118, at opposite sides of the baseplate 1. This belt serves at its upper part as'a carrier for theenvelops, a feeding hopper 9 being arranged adj acent to the top of saidbelt at the rear end of the machine and the' stamping mechanism beinglocated at the opposite or forward end. Adjacent to the said feedinghopper the fiap-moistening devices are arranged upon standard 10, andadjacent to the drum shaft 7 preferably at the opposite side of the bed.

plate from the belt 2, is arranged means for driving thesaid belt andthus the entire mechanism of the device. Said motive means comprise ashaft 11 journaled in posts 12, 12, extending upward from the baseplate, said shaft having a pulley or wheel 13 which may be rotated by ahandle 1 1 or any other suitable means. Said shaft 11 has also a pinion15 meshing with a gear 16 mounted between posts 17 and which en-' gagesa gear 18 on the shaft 7, (see Fig. 9). The said feeding hopper 9 issupported by posts 19 extending upward from the base plate on oppositesides of the belt 2, and oomprises'sides 20, 21, and a front 22 which ispreferably inclined forwardly upward, the top and rear end beingentirely open. The bottom of said feeding hopper is open except for anarrow ledge 23 at the side being carried forward on said belt bythefront end wall 22 of the hopper and a cer' tain gate thereon next tobe described. This gate 25, referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and36, is mounted upon the outer side of the front wall 22 of the hopper,near its bottom, and it is adapted to slide up and down against the beltsurface to guard the slit or passage between said belt and certainfingers 26 mounted on the hopper, and which space is suflicient topermit a single letter to pass. I have shown said gate 25 as havingslots 27 to receive studs 28 for the gate to slide on; coil springs29,29 serve to normally hold the gate downward against the belt,

and a roller 30 is mounted upon the lower edge of the gateto preventitsscraping upon an envelop passing through.

For raising the gate a shaft 31 is mounted adjacent to and outside ofthe same in brackets 32, 32depending from the hopper wall 22 and saidshaftcarries "a lateral rearwardly projecting finger 33 which is adaptedto take under a lifting piece 34; on the gate. At its outer end, thesaid shaft 31 has a crank arm 35 which is pivoted to the upturnedextremity 36 of the forward arm 37 of a lever 38 fulcr'umed as at 39 onthe outside of the low wall 21 of the hopper. The rearward arm 40 ofthisv lever has an outwardly projecting stud 11 adapted to be en gagedby the cam-like surface 42 of a trip 13 shown more particularly inFigs..17 and 20, and forced upward thereby to swing the said lever 38and open the gate 25 as will be understood. Said trip is .carried in atripbox l4, shown also in Fig. 2, and several of which at properintervals are fixed or mounted on the belt 2, at its outer edge, totravel with the same. In order to predetermine the release of letter atjust the proper time, the stud 41 is made adjustable longitudinally ofthe lever 38 in a slot 15 of the same, and to provide access for thisadjustment from the inside of the hopper its said low wall 21 is'alsoslotted as at 46. (See Figs. 3 and 4, also.)

Upon leaving the feeding hopper, the envelop is carried along betweenthe belt 2 and roller 30, its flap being freely exposed downward byreason of the narrowness of the belt as has been above referred to. Inthis position a deflecting shoe 50 engages the said flap and turns itdownwardly outward into vertical plane or beyond. This shoe is mountedupon a post 51 projecting upward from the base plate 1, and has a thinhorizontal edge 52 to enter between the flap and body of the envelop,and a curved guiding face 53 to force said flap open, as shown indetail. in Figs. 5 and 6. Just beyond the said deflect-- ing shoe 50 aremeans for moistening the flap of the envelop when opened, comprisingupper and lower rollers 54: and 55 mounted on the standard 10. The lowerroller 55 is 3 peripherally recessed for a partof its length,

a shaft 58 both being journaled in the stand ard 10. and a collar 59,upon said hub outshaft 62 which also bears in a post 63 upon ectingtherefrom.

the bed plate and carries a roller 64: beneath those 54, 55 alreadydescribed, and which is engaged by the lower part of the belt 2 torotate the shaft 62, as shown in Fig. 2. Upon the outer end of saidshaft 62 is gear 65 which meshes into an inter ediate gear 66 totransmit motion to the gear 61 upon the shaft 58, as above described.

In the lower part of the open end of the drum or roller 55 is arranged atank 67 which lies partly within the roller and partly pro- This tankhas at its inner end an upward extension 68 provided with a long sleeve600 which receives the shaft 58, between the standard 10 and a fixedcollar 60, to support-the tank. At the open end of the said drum ismounted upon an approximately vertical shaft 69' a conical moisteningroller 70, which lies partly within the drum in a transverse positionwith respect to the end thereof. The

said shaft 69 has hearings in a seat 71 upon the bed-plate and at ahigher point ina bracket 72 on the bed-plate, and is driven by means ofbevel gears 73, 74, from the shaft 62. This conical moistening roller 70is inside the tank 67, and is hollow at its bottom part to receive asleeve 75, which projects up from the bottom of the tank to afford abearing around the shaft 69, and. to prevent escape of water from thetank. This roller 70, it will be understood, is adapted to engage at itssides the flap of an envelop passing through the machine and thusmoisten the same, a paddle Wheel 76 in the tank 67, and mounted on theshaft 58, serving to throw water against the said moisteningroller 7 Oto keep it continually wet. A shield 700 on the tank closes the open endof the drum around said roller 70. The envelop thus has its flapmoistened while in opened position, and then the envelop passing onwardby the motion of the belt 2, said flap is engaged at its outer orsurface side I by the upright edge 78 of a shoe 77, which has a face 79curving from said edge into a substantially horizontal plane at theother end of the shoe, as at 80, and thus adapted to close the flap ofthe envelop. This shoe 77 a is preferably mounted upona post 81 0n thebed-plate 1. After having its fiap closed as thus described, the enveloppasses beneath the stamping devices and receives a stamp, as will behereinafter set forth in detail. Then the envelop immediately passesbetween the end roller 4 for the belt and a machine, the pressure ofsaid rollers serving to press both the flap and the stamp securely fastto the envelop. The said roller into the hollow end of the roller. (SeeFig. 9.) A nut 831 on said stud at the outer side of the bracketremovably secures the roller in place. This rcller S2 lies against theenvelop from above at its discharge from the machine, direct-1y abovethe end roller 4 for the belt 2, and is provided with a yielding surface821 of rubber or the like which will allow the envelop to pass betweensaid rollers with pressure. The belt roller 4 is recessed to receive thebelt 2,. so that the peripheral portion of itself which the beltdoes notextend over is flush with said belt and properly cotiperates with theupper roller 82, as will be understood. As an envelop leaves theflap-closing mechanism on its way to the stamping devices, the trip-box6L4 which caused the discharge of said envelop from the hopper 9 setsthe stamping mechanism in motion, as willnextbe described, and saidmechanism is timed to apply a stamp to said envelop as it comes along,at ust the proper point. 4

, 82 rotates on a stud 83 secured in a bracket 84 mounted on thestandard 8 and projecting A long shaft 85, extends transversely of 4 themachine with respect to the belt 2, and is journaled at its end farthestfrom said belt in a bearing 86 on the lower rear edge of a certain endguard 87 of the stamp supply cylinder hereinafter described', (see Fig.33). This shaft 85 is capable of a limited longitudinal movement, forpurposes present-ly to be set forth, and a leaf spring88 on the end ofsai extremity of the shaft to normally hold it toward the belt 2.Another bearing for this shaft 85 is provided adjacent to the pathway ofthe envelops in the outer end of an arm 89, which extends forwardly insubstantially horizontal position from a post 90, to which it is hingedto. swing up and down (see also Fig. 34). This allows the shaft 85 toraise and lower at its enlarged end 102 next the envelop belt 2, forpurposes presently to be set forth, and a spring 91 bears on the saidarm 89 to hold it downward, while an adjusting screw 92 beneath providesa limiting stop for the arm. The free end of said shaft 85 projectsacross the belt 2 and is adapted to be engaged by the trip and slidlongitudinally as next described, particular reference being had toFigs. 1620, inclusive.

The trip box lt'at its inner side or side facing the belt providesbetween its overhanging top 93, and the belt 2, a vertical slide Way forthe trip 43, said trip being mounted by headed bolts 94., 94, working inslots 95, of the box, and being normally held down against the belt byupper springs 96.

The inner face of this trip provides at iti upper part a channel 97parallel to the belt 4 and the side walls of which are at their innerbearing presses against the surfaces beveled outwardly apart as at 98,98'; furthermore, the inner face of the trip has on opposite sides ofsaid channel 97 and adjacent thereto, inclines 99, 99 which slantrearwardly inward. The lower part of the trip is tapered equally fromtop and botton'i to a'sharp edge or point 101 at its front end, andprovides .upper and low?" longitudinal bevels 42 and 100. This sharpedge 101 lies normally just enough higher than the said free end of theshaft 85 so that it will pass over the same and the trip only he idlypushed up, as shown in Fig. 17, to drop back into place again. But ifthere is a letter to be stain ed, its thickness in passing beneath" thesha t end 102 upon the belt 2, raises said shaft end sufliciently sothat the lower part' of the trip passes beneath said shaft end and thesame is accordingly lifted into the channel 97 of the trip.

In order to more accurately determine whether the shaft end shall passabove or below the lower part of the trip 48 the beveled forward end ofsaid trip is divided on a vertical planelongitudinally of the belt, asat 104:, into a thin inner portion having a long taper 106, and athicker outer portion 107 having a more abrupt taper. The end 102 of theshaft 85 does not reach inward to the long taper, but said end isprovided with a needle point 108 which passes either above or below thelong tapered edge, according as an envelop is on the belt or not. Thisneedle having primarily determined which way the parts are to engage,the shaft end immediately impinges upon the outer bevel (either upper orlower) to take the strain of engagement. When the shaft passes throughthe channel 97 of the trip its shoulders 109 adjacent to the engagingend 102, bear against the inclined surfaces 99, 99, and the shaft isaccordingly shown in Fig. 1.

pushed longitudinally. As shown, the trip box is not rigid enough totake the reaction of this, but is reinforced by an adjacent parallelportion 110 of the standard 8 as This longitudinal movement of the shaft85, which is always receiving rotary movement through a gear 111 onitself engaging anot er gear 112 on an auxiliary shaft 113, which inturn carries a second gear 114 meshing with the said gear 16, (see Figs.34 and 35) throws into engagementa clutch 115 on the shaft so that agear 116 thereon transmits motion to the stamp supplying c vlinder. Thiscylinder. referring more particularly to Figs. 1 .and 12, is mounted atthe forward end of the ma- I chine in transverse position with respectto the belt, fast upon a shaft 117 which is ioun naled at one end of thestandard 8 and at the other end in another standard 118. The cylinderproper is designated by reference numeral 119 and comprises end disks120 121 having central bearings for the shaft 117, and'a cylindricalshell 122 secured thereto, one of the said end disks, as 121, having itsperiphery toothed as at 123 to be engaged by the said gear 110 andreceive rotation. This cylinder 119 is designed to carry uponits-surface a sheet of postage stamps such as is obtainable at anypost-office, said sheet lying upon the cylinder with its guinmed surfaceoutward, the long sides of the individual stamps extendinglongitudinally of the cylinder, and their bottom edges toward thebelt 2,in order that the stamps be put onto the envelops right side up. Thecylin der is to supply or feed the stamps one by one to-the envelops asthey go through the machine.

Longitudinal clips 180 (see Fig. 15) are provided upon the cylinder 119to retain the edges of the sheet of stamps, and said cylinder alsocarries holding hands 121 and a feed ng ring 125 to otherwise secure thesheet.

Said feeding ring 125 is farthest from the'belt 2, and has a bodyportion 126 encircling the cylinder 119 and. an inner radial arm 127projecting through a longitudinal slot 128 in the bottom of the cylinderwhich therefore permits sliding of the ring 125, the end of said slot128 serving asa stop to keep the ring away from the gear 123. Said armis apertured at its end to receive the axial shaft 117 of the cylinder,and also near the circumferential body of the ring to receive a rod 129extending longitudinally of the cylinder and mounted ini ts end pieces120, 121.- These bearings prevent rotation of the ring on the cylinder,and give it an even sliding movement thereon. At its side next the belt2, the said ring has a hin .sheetmetal extension 130 fitting thecylinder and a stepped end 131 which allows suflicient space between itand the drum to accommodate the sheet of stamps. Between said ring125.and the end of the cylinder next to the belt 2 are a plurality ofholding hands 124, each-of which surrounds the cyl inder and has aninner radial arm 118 lyin in theslot 128 of the cylinder and aperture tohave bearings upon both the rod 129 andv the shaft 117, like the endring described.

These bands are adapted to be slid .any-

'where on the cylinder that they are needed to confine a sheet ofstamps, and are provided with inner radial projections 134: to engagethe sheet at intervals, the extension of the end ring being recessed orslotted as at 135 to receive such projections and thus permit the bandstobe all picked up by the and ring as it approaches the end of thecylinder next to the belt 2. Preferably, each band 124. has a frictionspring 132 seated in a socket and confined by a screw plug to bearagainst the rod and prevent undue freedom in sliding. At the bottonrofthe end ring 125 is ashoe 136 which straddles a fixed bracket or track137 beneath .the cylnider 119 and has flanges 138 which loosely Iembrace the T-riin 139 of 'the end ring, whereby said end ring is freeto turn but must move longitudinally with the said shoe to feed thesheet of stamps endwise of the cylinder when one circumferential row isused up and bring the next row into position. Between the halves of thesaid bracketis a vertically slidable bar 149 normally held upward bysprings 140, and having in its upper edge notches 141 to receive a tooth142 on the shoe','said notches being spaced to correspond to the Widthof the circumferential rows of stamps or length of an individual stamp.By momentarily depressing the bar, the end ring is allowed to be drawnone notch forwar b cords 143 extending over pulleys 144, to a drum withtensionsprings 145, as will be understood. v

The depressing means comprises a lever 146 fulcruined as at 147 on astud 148, one end of said lever bei-n pivoted to the middle of said bar149 311C? the other end adapt ed to bepushed upward by a cam 150 on asleeve 151 of the shaft 7, which carries the belt roller 4. (See Figs. 9and 29.) For convenience, the end of said lever 146 is bifurcated asshown in Figs. 29 and 31, and carries a cross piece upon which afriction roller 156 is mounted to engage the cam 150. Said sleevecarrying the cam 150, generally Stands still or idle upon the shaft 7,but is provided with a clutch member 152 to engage a cooperatingmember153 on-the shaft itself and which shaft continually turns, as willbe remembered; It is desired to engage the said clutch members and thus.operate the cam and feed the sheet of stamps longitudinally of thecylinder, as soon as one circumferential row of stamps has been used upor fed to theenvelops by the rotation of the cylinder. Therefore, a cam154 is arranged upon the outside of the end disks 121 of the cylinder119 at such a point that when the cylinder has turned far enough tocompletely discharge a circumferential. row of stamps, its continuedturning engages said cam 154 with the upper end of a forked lever 155,fulcrumed on the bracket ,137 astraddle of the same andengaging at itslower end the sleeve 151 inthe usual inannerto slide its clutch member152 thereon into engagement with. the driving clutch member 153. In thisconnection, it should be noted that the sheet of stamps does not reachclear around the cylinder, but a considerable gap occurs between theclips 180, 180, (see Fig. 15). Time is thus given for shifting the sheetlengthwise of 'the cylinder, before the newly placed circumferential rowbegins to be fed out.

Contiguous to the end next the belt belt to be of the cylinder 1192,'and in fact overlying said in alinement with that part of an pivotedto the arms,

platen head,

envelop thereon where the stamp should be affixed, (see Fig. 1), is acylindrical platen head 160, of equal diameter withthe cyl nder andpreferably wide enough for the circumferential row of stamps being fed,to he wholly thereon. This platen head 160 does not rotate, but is heldin fixed sleeve 161, on the shaft 7 bolted to the stand- "ard 8, andconnected to the closed outer end 162 of the platen head 160, its endnext the cylinder being open (see Fig. 12). Overlapping the surface ofsaid platen head' 160 and projecting from its outer end inward,

are segmentalshields 163 (see Figs 27' and 28), which normally lie at alittle distance away from said platen surface and parallel thereto, soas tp provide a slide way or space between for the stamps. Each shield163 is hinged to the end edge of the platen head 160, as by means of aplate 164, and has an arm 165 projecting endwise from the platen head160, so that they can all be raised or opened outwardly away from theplaten head surface, as shown in dotted lines in'Fig. 28, to allow theplacing of a new sheet of stamps on the cylinder with facility. Forsecuring greater convenience by enabling all the said shields to beopened and closed together, I have provided the means shown more indetail in Figs. 27 and 28, where 166 indicates a segmental diskrotatably mounted on the sleeve 161, and having eccentric slots 167,each of which receives a pin 168011 a connecting strip 169 extendingradially outwardto one of the segmental shields 163, Preferably, thesaid connecting strips 169 are guided by studs 170 on the head 160 ofthe longitudinal slots 172 in the strips, and of course the outer endsof the strips must be as at 173, By this construction, the segmentalshields can be all manipulated together by simply twisting or turningthe disk 166 by hhnd. The segmental disk 166 also preferably has a slot175 receiving a fixed stud 176 on the platen head,

' ment.

lVhen the cylinder is in position as shown in the drawings,

der as described feeds the stamps rearwardly downward, or in thedirection shown by the arrow in Fig. 27, and as the row of stamps leavesthe platen surface at 177, it passes between feed rollers 178,179. Theinner one 178, of these rollers is mounted on a stud 174 projectinghorizontally from the platen head 160and within said platen, while therearward or outer feed roller 179 is fast upon a shaft 181 journaled atone end in a lower rear edge extension 182 of the end guard 87 of thecylinder, (see Fig. 33), and at its other end in an extension 183' ofthe (see Fig. 27) This platen platen entering to provide limits to itsrotary moveand the end row of stamps. is lying on the platen, rotationof the cylinposition by a head extension 183 is slotted as at 200, in adirection away from the other roller 1T8v to form. the bearing for theshaft end, and said shaft end is normally pushed forward by a spring 188'to hold the rollers in feeding engagement. with a row of stamps. Thisshaft is driven by a gear 184 meshing with the end gear 123 .of thecylinder (see Fig. To provide for separating said rollers to permit theinsertion of a new sheetof stamps, or to bring a new row of stamps intoposition, and to do the same automatically, an arm 185 is provided upona lower forward shaft 186 which arm reaches up and against the shaft 181to push it backward against the power of the spring 188 (see Figs. 33and 34-). The said shaft 186 carrying said arm 185 is journaled in posts189, 189 on the bed plate, and at its end farthest from the belt 2 saidshaft has a fixed arm 190 which overlies the shaft 7. A cam 191 upon thesleeve 151 on said shaft 7, adapted to engage said arm 190, then rocksthe shaft 186 at suitable intervals to deflect the roller shaft 181 anddisengage said roller 17 9.

As the sheet of stamps passes beyond the rollers 178, 179, it slidesunder a guide 192 attached to the platen head, the main portion of thesheet being on the cylinder, turning therewith and still connected tothe row. At the end of this guideris a small roller 193 mounted inbrackets 211 on the platen'160. This roller 193 is idle unless theoriginal actuating shaft 85 is raised by the trip as has been described,when said. shaft presses" an intermediate roller. 195 mounted in abracket 196, hinged as at 197 to the platen and forced downward by aspring 198, against the roller 193 on the opposite side of the stampstherefrom. Said rollers 193 and 195 then feed the stamps on downward tothe moistening means, and atthe same time a circular knife 200 on theend of the upper roller 193 nearest the cylinder cuts the row of stampsloose and free from the sheet. The-moistening means comprise a smallbath 201 which is somewhat triangular in end view, being arrangedtransversely of the belt 2 with its low edge forward, as shown inFig.27. This bath 201 is supported at one end by a post 202 on the bedplate, and at its other end by the hanger strap 19 1 which reaches downinto the bath and is apertured as at 203 to receive a lug 20s on thebottom of the bath (see detail Figs. 39, 40 and 41).

A moistening roller 205 is then journaled at one end in the top of saidlug 204 and in the aperture 203 of the hanger strap, while the other endfinds a bearing on the wall of the bath 201. Said roller 205 projectsperipherally from the bath, as shown, and to rotate the same it carriesin the bath a gear 207 I which meshes with a higher pinion 208 on ashort shaft 209 extending through the hanger strap and having on itsopposite end eenve a pinion.210 which receives motion through anintermediate pinion 213 from a pinion 212 on the shaft of the feedroller 193. The arrangement of pinions 208 and 210 on opposite sides ofthe hanger strap 194C prevents the transmission of water from the bathto prematurely moisten stamps farther back than the end one desired tobe moistened for immediate application. In thus passin over themoistening roller 205, the forwar edge of the stamp engages the envelopand is caught by the roller 82before its rear edge has reached themoistening roller 205. Then as the feeding'rollers 193 and 195, ceasefeeding the row of stamps forward, a knife 215 mounted upon the rearedge of the bath, in

just right position, severs the end stamp from the row as it is stilldrawn forward by the roller 82 and belt 2, the next succeeding stampbeing held tight between the feedrollers 178, 179. To secure a drawingout, the said knife edge is preferably slanted as shown in detail inFig. 42.

For supplying the batl1 201 with water, a tube 216 leads thereto fromthe faucet 217 of a reservoir 218, and this faucet is autoshaft, asshown-in detail in Fig. 37, carries 9 a sleeve 219;;adapted to engageand slide longitudinally an adjacent sleeve member 220 on alongitudinally alined but separate shaft 105. v ably has a' reduced end300 entering a recess in the end of the shaft 113, as shown in dottedlines, and at the other end of the said shaft portion 105, outside itsbearing in the post 226, is a spring friction washer 230, which insuresthat the sleeve member 220 will be operated before said shaft portionbegins to turn, it being understood that the beveled projections 301 onthe sleeve 219 never entirely leave their correspondingly shapedrecesses in the sleeve member 220. The second sleeve 220 has an annulargroove 222 receiving the fork of a lever 223 fulcrumed as at 224 on abracket 225 fast to one of the posts 226, 226, in which theshaft isjournaled. The upper-end of said lever 223 is pivoted to the end of ahorizontally disposed and longitudinally movable connecting rod 227,slotted as at 228 to receive a supporting pin on which it slides, andthis rod in turn is secured by a slot and pin connection to the arm 229of the said faucet 217 spring 303 normally holding said faucet Saidshaft portion 105 prefer closed: A pin 304 projecting into a transverseslot of the sleeve 219, and a pin 305 projecting into a longitudinalslot of the sleeve member 220, serve to limit the movement of said partsand prevent their displacement.

In operation of the above parts, the pin 04 on theshaft 113, as thelatter turns, en-

teams gages the forward end of its slot in the sleeve 219 and turns saidsleeveg'this causes the beveled projections, 301 on the said.

sleeve 219 to bear against the correspondingly beveled walls of theirrecesses in the sleeve 220 and consequently slide said sleeve beunderstood that as soon' as the sleeve.

member 220 has made its longitudinal movement, it remains in its newpositionv and turns with the other sleeve member 219 be-..

cause the projections 301 do not entirely leave their recesses, and thespring 230 does not prevent turning when suflicient power is applied.lVhen the shaft 113 stops turning,

sleeve'member 219 which is in a row, by the means the spring 303 of thefaucet closes the same, throwing the rod 207 and lever 223 back to theiroriginal positions, and thus sliding the sleeve member 220 back towardthe member 219, which causes the beveled projections 301 to entirelyenter the recesses, the transverse slot in the sleeve member 219 for thepin 304 permitting the slight reverse turning of said necessary for thispurpose. 7

. The cylinder shown 119 is adapted to receive sheets ofstamps havingten in each circumferential row, and as before stated these rows do notreach entirely around the cylinder, but there is an'unoccupied space oftwo stamp widths. The cylinder is rotated enough to feed each successivestamp already described, a spring detent 231 enga ing spaced notches 270onthe end of the cyl inder farthest from the belt 2 to accuratelydetermine the points of stopping of said cylinder 119 between successivestamps. (-See Figs. 30 and 32). iVhen the last stampin a-row has beendischarged or feed out, it'is necessary to turn the cylinder along inorder to be ready to begin on the first end of the next row of stamps asanother envelopcomes along. To automatically accomplish this, the meansnext described is eniployed. i

Upon the sleeve 151 of the constantly m.

tating shaft 7, and adjacent to the standard 8 farthest from the belt2.21s shown in the 239 to receive'a drawings, is arranged a cam 232,(see Figs. 9 and 33), which-is adapted to engage the lower end of anupright lever 233 fulcrumed as at 234 and having its upper end slottedas at 235, to receive a pin 236 ofa hung loosely on the cylinder shaft117. This 238 fast on the cylinder shaft, and having a notch,

spring pawl 240 on theyoke 237. Thus as the yoke 237 isoscillated by thelever .233, it carries with it-on its forward motion the disk '238 andtherefore the shaft 117 and cylinder thereon, and then plying means,

the two vacant spaces the conveyer belt stamp feeding means yoke 237.

f 'of the cylinder to the first end of the next row of stampsinto '70proper position for feeding.

The envelop conveying belt 2 is preferably provided with a longitudinalseries of holes .199 along its middle and which engage pintles on thedriving roller 4, whereby said belt is more positively driven.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination with anendless conveying belt and means for driving the same, of -envelopsupplying means, flap seahng means and stamp supplying and ailixingmeans arranged along said belt in a -series and operated thereby.

2. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination withend-rollers 3, 4 and lower intermediate roller 64, a belt extendingaround said rollers, and means for driving one of said rollers, ofenvelop supflap sealing means and stamp supplying and afiixing meansarranged along. said belt in a series and adapted to be operated.thereby.

3. In an envelop stamping machine, the

combination with a conveyer belt, of stamp ing means adapted tbbeactuated by an envelop on said conveyer, means-for operatingsaidstamping means from said conveyer belt, and means for driving theconveyer 0 belt.

4. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anendless con veyer, envelop feeding mechanism and stamp supplyingmechanism arranged adjacent to said conveyer, trip means uponsaid con--veyer adapted to actuate both said mechan; isms, and a common drivingmeans.

5. The combination with a conveyer belt,-

stamp feeding meansand stamp moistening means, of a water reservoir, afaucet for said reservoir leading to said stamp moistening means, meansnormally holding said faucet closed, and means adapted to be operated byto open said faucet, said and faucetopening means adapted to be actuatedby an envelop on.the conveyer belt. '6. In a stamp feeding mechanism,the conibination of a cylinder adapted to receive a sheet of stampsconsisting of a plurality of rows, means for sliding said sheet endwiseproject one row of stamps therebeyond. and means for rotating thecylinder to feed said row circumferentially and bring successive stampsinto a given delivery position while yet a part of the sheet.

7. The combination with the envelop conveyer belt, of an envelop hopperadjacent to said belt, a gate for said hppper, releasing envelop soengaged, and trip means on said belt adaptedto operate said releasingmechanism.

9. The combination of an envelop hopper downwardly open at its forwardend, a conve'yer belt forming the bottom of saidhopp'er at its saidforward end, a gate at the front end of the hopper,, and'trip means onsaid belt adapted to operate said gate.

10. The combination of an envelop hop-' per downwardly open at itsforward end and having a led e at one side of its bottom, a conveyorbelt fbrmi-ng the bottom of said hopper at the side away from saidledge,a'

gate at the front end of the hopper, and trip means on said belt adaptedto operate said gate.

11. The combination of an envelop hopper open at the forward end oflts'bottom' and having a ledge at the rear end of said bottom,qaxconveyer belt closing the open portionof the bottom of said hopper, agate at the front end of the hopper, ,and tri means on saidbelt adaptedto operate sai the forwardiend of. its bottom, a conveyer belt beneath.said open end and adaptedto engage an envelop in thehopper, a gate onthe-front end of the hopper, an operating lever connected to said gateand having a lateral projection, and trip means on said belt adapted toengage said projection.

13. The combinationof a hopper open at the forward end of its bottom, aconveyer' belt'beneathsaid hopper and adapted to engage an enveloptherein, a gate on the front end of the hopper, an operating lever con]-nected to said gateand fulcrumed on the side of-the hopper and having aslotted end, a stud adjustably mounted in said slot, and trip means onsaid belt adapted to engage said stnd.--

14. The combination of a hopper open at the forward end of its bottom, aconveyer belt beneath said hopper and adapted to engage an enveloptherein, a gate mounted on the forwardend of the hopper to slidevertically, springs normally holding said gate closed, EL'LIOClC'shaftaadapted to move said gate against the power of said springs, alever fulcrunfejdwon saidhopper having one end connected to,.said-rockeshaft and the other end provided witha projecting stud, and trip-meanson the said conveyer belt adapted to engage saidstud. .l

15. The combination of a hopper open at lever.

the forward end of its bottom, a conveyer belt beneath said hopperandadapted to engage an envelop therein, a gate arranged on the front endof the hopper to slide vertically, .a friction roller mounted on' thelower edge of said gate, an operating lever connectedto said gate, andtrip means on the c'onveyer belt adapted to actuate said lever.

16. The combination of a hopper open at the forward end of its'bottom, aconveyer belt beneath said hopper and adapted to engage an enveloptherein, a gate mounted on the outside of the forward end of said hopper and normally engaging the belt, fingers upon the inner wall of saidforward end of the hopper and extending downward adjacent to said belt,at their free ends, an operating lever connected to said gate, and tripmeans on the belt adapted to actuate said 17. In a stamp feedingmechanism, the combination of a cylinder adapted to receive a sheet ofstamps consisting of a plu rality of rows, means for sliding said sheetendwise of the cylinder to project one row of stamps the'rebeyond, meansfor rotating the cylinder'to feed said rowcircumferentially and bringsuccessive stamps into a given delivery position while yet a part of thesheet, and means for severing individual stamps in said position fromthe sheet and row. 7

18. In agstamp feeding mechanism, the combination, of a cylinder adaptedto receive a slieet'of stamps consisting of a plurality of r ows,-meansfor sliding said sheet endwise of the cylinder to project one row ofstamps therebeyond, means for rotating the cylinder to feed said rowcircumferentially and bring successive stamps into a given deliverypositionwhile yet a part of the sheet, and means for severing individualstamps in said position from the sheetand row and feeding them awaysfromsaid sheet and row independently thereof.

19. In 'a stamp feeding mechanism, the combination of a cylinder adaptedto receive a sheet consisting of a plurality of rows of stamps and aplurality of stamps in each row, means for sliding said sheet endofstamps, means for diverting the free end so j of said partially severedrows into adifi'erent course than that taken by the rest of the sheet,and means for severing and feeding individual stamps from said free ehd.

21. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anenvelop conveying belt, rollers between which an-envelop passes, atransversely disposed moistening roller at the end of said rollers, andstamp supplying and affixing mechanism in conjunction with said envelopconveying belt at the discharge side of said rollers.

In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anenvelop conveying belt, rollers between which an envelop passes, atransversely disposed moistening roller at the end of said rollers,means for opening and for closing the-flap of the envelop, and stampsupplying'and affixing mechanism in conjunction with said envelopconveying belt at the discharge side of said rollers.

roller being hollow at one end, a tank extend- 23. In an envelop sealingand stamping machine, the combination of an envelopsconveying belt,horizontal rollers between which an envelop passes, an upright conicalmoistening roller at the end of one of said feed rollers, and stampsupplying and afiixing mechanism in conjunction with said envelopconveying belt at the discharge side of said rollers.

24. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anenvelop conveying belt, upper and lower feed rollers being into the openend of said roller, a moistenmg roller arranged transversely of saldhollow and partly within the said tank,

means for turning said rollers, and stamp supply and aflixing mechanismin conjunction with said envelop conveying belt at the discharge sideofsaid rollers.

26. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anenvelop conveying belt, upper and lower feed rollers between which anenvelop passes, the lower roller being hollow at one ehd, atankextending into the open end of said roller, a mois tening rollerarranged in said tank transversely of the feed roller, a paddle wheel insaid .tank, means for rotating said rollers and paddle wheel, and stamp,supplylng and afiixing mechanism in conjunction with said envelopconveyingbelt at the discharge side of said rollers.

27 In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anenvelop conveying belt, upper and lower feed rollers between which anenvelop passes, the lower roller being hollow at one end, a tankextending into the open end of said roller, a moistening roller arrangedin said tank transversely of the feed roller, a bottom roller 64, a beltextending around said rollers, means transmitting motion from saidbottom roller to the moistening roller, and stamp supplying and aflixingmechanism in conjunction with said envelop conveying belt at thedischarge side of said rollers.

28. In an envelop-sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anenvelop conveying belt, upper and lower feed rollers between which anenvelop passes, the lower roller being hollow at one end, a tankextending into the open end of said roller, a moistening roller arrangedin said tank transversely of the feed roller, a paddle wheel in saidtank, a bottom roller 64, a' belt extending over said rollers, meansadapted to trans'mitjmotion from said bottom roller to said moisteningroller and to said paddle wheel, and stamp supplying and afiixingmechanism in conjunction with said envelop conveying belt atthedischarge side of said rollers. j v

29. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, the combination of anenvelop conveying belt, means for exposing the flap of said envelop, atank having a tubular sheath.

projecting upward from its bottom, aholloW conical moistening rollerover said sheath and adapted to engage an exposed envelop flap, a shaftextending from said moistening roller through said sheath, means fordrivsaid shaft, and stamp supplying and in afi i xing mechanism inconjunction with said envelop conveying belt at the discharge side ofsaid rollers. i 30. In an envelop sealing and stamping machine, thecombination of an envelop con-.

veying belt, the bed plate 1, standard 10 thereon, upper feed roller 54mounted on said stud, a hollow roller having a hub mounted in 'saidstandard, a shaft extending through said roller, a paddle wheel on saidshaft within the roller, a tank supported from said shaft, a moisteningroller in said v tank, means for rotating said shaft andmoisteningroller, and stamp supplying and ailixing mechanism in conjunction wlthsaid envelop conveying belt at the discharge side oflsaid rollers.

'31. The combination with an envelop conveyer belt, of stamp-supplyingmecl'iamsm, stamp moistening means, and pressing rollers, all adapted tobe operated by said con- (vey'er belt, and means dependent upon anenvelop upon the conveyer belt for actuat-

